Seahawks, Chiefs swap linebackers

The Seahawks have given up on Kevin Pierre-Louis and added another special-teams player.

They also are apparently stockpiling another failed former first-round pick as a potential new pass rusher.

Seattle on Friday traded Pierre-Louis, their athletic fourth-round draft choice from 2014 who didn’t play consistently here, to Kansas City for linebacker D.J. Alexander. The 25-year-old Alexander was selected for the Pro Bowl last season as a special-teams player.

The Chiefs confirmed the deal Friday morning.

Pierre-Louis had been deeply behind Pro Bowl veteran K.J. Wright at weakside linebacker. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and may not have made the Seahawks for the 2017 regular season.

He has a chance for more playing time in Kansas City. The Chiefs primarily use a 3-4 scheme with four linebackers instead of Seattle’s 4-3.

Alexander has two years remaining on his rookie contract he signed as Kansas City’s fifth-round pick in 2015 out of Oregon State. He played 48 snaps on defense in 16 games last season. He started one game at inside linebacker in the Chiefs’ 3-4 as an injury replacement last December, then played in the Pro Bowl on special teams as an injury replacement. He had initially been a Pro Bowl alternate.

Also, the NFL Network reported Friday the Seahawks were agreeing to sign Philadelphia former first-round pick Marcus Smith. The Eagles put him on waivers this week, and he cleared them on Thursday.

Smith, 25, has just four sacks in 37 games over his first three seasons since the Eagles made him the 26th overall pick, out of Louisville.

Smith could be insurance for the uncertain health of Dion Jordan, the third overall draft choice in 2013 out of Oregon who signed this spring with the Seahawks after a checkered and injury-filled past with the Miami Dolphins. He hasn’t played an NFL game since 2014.

Upon arriving with the Seahawks in April, his new team’s medical staff determined he needed clean-up surgery on his knee. He didn’t participate in last month’s minicamp, and his availability is questionable heading into training camp.